The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, has called on engineers across Africa to deploy innovation and technology in tackling food insecurity and strengthening agricultural value chains.

Rabiu made the call in a goodwill message delivered at the 56th Annual Engineering Conference of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) on Wednesday, which was made available to journalists in Lagos in a statement.

He described the theme of the conference theme, “Engineering the Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain,” as critical to addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing the continent.

According to him, rapid population growth in Africa has increased food demand, placing pressure on agricultural systems and requiring engineering-driven solutions.

“This is not only an agricultural challenge; it is also an engineering challenge that requires innovative solutions and modern technologies,” he said.

Rabiu urged engineers to play active roles in agriculture by applying expertise to improve production efficiency, processing, preservation, packaging and transportation.

He noted that Nigeria had recorded progress in agricultural engineering, including the adoption of precision farming and biotechnology, but said security challenges remained a major setback.

The NSE President identified farmer-herder and farmer-bandit conflicts as factors undermining sustainability in the country’s agricultural sector.

Rabiu also commended the long-standing relationship between NSE and GhIE, noting continued cooperation and mutual participation in each other’s programmes.

He expressed optimism that the conference would generate practical solutions to shared developmental challenges across Africa and wished participants fruitful deliberations and a successful conference.